Method of shaping a shoe upper



April 16, 1940. DODGE 2,197,208

METHOD OF SHAPING l} SHOE UPPER Filed April 11, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1April 16, 1940. M L, DODGE 2,197,208

METHOD OF SHAPING A SHOE UPPER Filed April 11, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IApril 1940- M. L. DODGE 2,197,208

ETHOD OF SBA PING A SHOE UPPER Filed April 11, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M.L. DODGE METHOD OF simme A saos UPPER April 16, 1940.

Filed April 11, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 1 1940 UNITED sTA EsPATENT-OFFICE I 2,197,208 I I P,

METHOD or SHAPING AsnoE UPPER Milton L. Dodge, Newburt'l' ort, Mass.Application April 11,. 1932, senainmcor 'ss 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of shaping portions of ashoe upper,so that the finished shoe will present a more attractive appearance andwill be better adapted to fit the foot of the wearer, and relates to theshoe so treated. The-invention is more particularly related to theshaping of the top portions of the shoe upper which are adjacent to therim of. the opening of the upper through which the foot ofthe wearer isreceived. It is customary to finish shoes by a treeing operation duringwhich the exterior surface of the upper is ironed by means of heatedsmoothing tools of Suitable shapes, the heat of the treei-ng toolsshrinking and smoothing the leather of the upper.

{Q As the outer and its lining are originally shaped together on thelast without allowance for subsequent shrinking of either of theseelements, the result of this shrinking of the outeris to leave thelining relatively larger so that there is a tendency for the rimportions of the upper about the opening; of the shoe to curl outwardlyand show the upper edge of the lining, While it has been attempted totrim the-edge of the lining inwardly from the edge of I the outer, evenwhen this has been done, the amount to which the outer projects beyondthe lining in most womens shoes is so small that the-outer and liningare substantially co-terminous and-an undesirable showing of the liningedge in the completed shoe is stillpresent. In the case ofmens shoes andin some types of womens shoes, particularly where heavy member overwhich theportion of a shoe adjacent stock is used, or where thetop-stitching is placed away from the edge, the lining margin, while itmay be below the upper margin, isstill so apparent to the eye in theabsence of the treatment in accordance with this invention, that itdetracts from the appearance of theshoe. Removal of the shoe from thetreeing form,moreover, tends to. spread the sides of the opening apart,particularly' at the forward ends, andto leave these side edges crooked.vThese efiectsare undesirable as they detract from the appearance of theshoe and also prevent a close hugging fit of the rim of the opening tothe foot. According to the presentinvention, I overcome thesedifficulties, by so treating thelshoe upper as to straighten the sidesof,

the rim, and to curve them inwardly, and, preferably, while shrinkingand thinning the lining edge and extending the margin of the outertherebeyond. This may be done by providing'a form to theopening may beplaced and presser memhere to press the rim portions of theshoe againstthisforminsucha manner as to turn or curl the lateral rim ,portions of.thetshoe upper ..inwardly.

The effectiveness of this operationforits intended purpose ma beincreased by heating the form, heat of the form acting to shrink asubstantial portion of the adjacent lining so as to reduce the area ofthe lining relatively to the upper. The member over which the shoe isplaced preferably made of such a shape as-to permit the removal of theshoe after the pressing operation with minimum distortion at theopening. 'As:.a result, the lateral rim portions of the upper adi'aecent to the opening of the shoe are set withanin ward curve. resistingoutward turning so that the shoe presents a neat and trim appearance of,par,-

ticular value for displaying ina store and the rim improved. Beside thetreeing operation any of such operations as removing the last, cleaningthe lining, or inserting a sock lining are sufficient to distort theupper of apu-mp or the like and to i make subsequent treating of theshoe in. accordance with this invention highly desirable. The outer iscommonly finished oil at its top margin by acording or p ping or afolding of the outer leather itself, and the term outer, as used herein,is intended to include any such edge finishing whether integral with oraseparate piece from but secured to the main body of the outer; 1 v Theapparatus-shown is not claimed herein' but forms subject matter of myapplication-for patent Serial No. 690,853, filed September 25, 1933, forApparatus for treatingshoe uppers, which is a continuation in part ofthis application.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the description ,5

thereof which follows, and to the drawings, of V which- I i Figure l isan elevation of. mechanism embody! ing the inventioma portion beingbroken away to show inner parts in section. 'i v .Figure 2 is a planview of the same. I .Ffgure 3 is a section on the line 3,--.3 ofFigure 1. Figure 4 is an elevation of .one ofthe shaping units.

,Figurefi is .aperspective view of a pumpbefore treatmentracoording-tothe invention.

Figure 6 is a pump after such treatment. Figure 7 is a section of a pumpand the shaping tools taken on the line 1-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a similar section on the line 88 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary portion of Figure 7 showing a slightlymodified form of the invention.

Figures 10 and 11 are fragmentary sections similar to Figure 9, butshowing successive positions of the parts in performing the desiredoperation on a shoe. 1

As shown in Figure 1, the apparatus may include a suitable standard 26supported by legs 2|. Rot-atably mounted on the top of the standard 20is a table 22 which may ride on ball bearings 23. The table may beprovided with a downwardly projecting flange 24 to keep it centered onthe standard 2ll.- Rising from the top of the table is a circular seriesof support brackets 25 which may be in the form of goosenecks as shown.At the free end of each gooseneck25 is mounted a suitable member 30adapted to receive a shoe for shaping. As indicated in Figures 1 and 2,the member 38 is preferably shaped to fit loosely within the portion ofthe shoe or pump adjacent to the opening, this resulting in a maximumwidth of the member near the forepart thereof, the member having itssides straight lengthwise substantially from'end to end and tapering inWidth toward the rear part so as to fit within the heel portion of theshoe near the opening thereof. The shape of the member 3!) is such as tofacilitate the removal of a treated shoe therefrom with distortion ofthe rim of the upper about the opening. As shown in Figure 4, the sidefaces of the member 38 are inwardly curved and merge with asubstantially fiat face at the top as at 3|.

Cooperating with the member 30 are a pair of presser elements 32, theseelements each having a longitudinally straight laterally concave face 33approximately complemental in shape to the adjacent side face of themember 30, so that when an element 32 is pressed toward the side of themember 33, there is an approximate fit between the mutuallyopposing'faces. Thus the upper portion 34 of each element 32 projects soas to fit over a curved edge 3i of the adjacent member 30. Each pair ofpresser elements 32 may be provided with suitable operating means. Asshown, the presser elements 32' are each carried at the upper end of arocking lever 40 which is pivotally mounted as at 4'! on the table 22.Each lever 40 has a lower portion 42 projecting downwardly below thetable 22. The lower end of each lever 40 is pivotally attached as at 43to a toggle link 44, the links of each pair of levers being pivotallyjoined together at a toggle joint 45. A pair of springs 46 may beprovided to press the levers 4D in such a way as to tend to collapse thetoggle. From this joint an operating rod or bar 41 extends downwardthrough an aperture in an ear 48 which projects outwardly from theflange 24 of the table. Below the ear 48 an adjustable collar 49 isfixed on the rod 41 to limit the upward movement of the rod andconsequently the separating movement of the presser elements 32.

v At the lower end of the rod M is a block 50, preferably of cylindricalshape. This block is adapted to enter a yoke 5| as the table 22 ismanually rotated. The yoke 51 as shown in Figure 1 may consistof aU-shaped member, the upper ends of the U extending inwardly toward eachother as at 52. Between the opposing ends of the inward extensions 52 isa slot 53 wideenough to receive a rod 41 but narrower than the diameterof the block 50. The spacing between the arms of the yoke is, however,ample to receive any of the blocks 50, as shown. A ball detent 54carried by the flange 24 (see Figure 1) engageable in any of a pluralityof depressions 55 in the standard 2|) may be employed to yieldinglyretain the table in position to cause the yoke 5| to properly cooperatewith one of the blocks 50. A shank 60 projects downwardly from the yoke5| and is attached through a suitable link 61 to a treadle lever 62pivoted to the'standard 20 as .at 63, a spring 64 being provided to holdthe treadle lever 62, and hence the yoke 5|, in its uppermost position.This uppermost position is adjustably determined by the position of acollar 65adjustably secured to the shank 60, this collar abuttingagainst a fixed lever 66 projecting outwardly from the standard 20 andprovided with a suitable opening through which the shank 60 passes. Theoperator in using the apparatus thus far described stands to the left ofthe apparatus as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. He rotates the table 22manually until a block 50 enters the yoke 5| whereupon one of thegoosenecks 25 is then directly in front of the operator ready to receivea shoe to be shaped. The operator places a shoe upon the member 30 andthen depresses the treadle 62. This actuates the corresponding togglefrom the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 to the position shownin dotted lines, closing the elements 32 against the shoe upper, wipingits top margin over the heated member 30, thereby retarding or holdingback the lining through friction on the member 30, and stretching theouter, turning and pressing its top edge so as to hide the top edge ofthe lining, and shrinking and smoothingthe top line of the shoe, leavingthe top edges curved in toward each other. The upper portions 34 of theelements engage the shoe upper and in closing toward the form straightenthe top stitching and consequently the upper edge of the shoe,substantially throughout the length of the sides of the opening from theheel to the throat of the shoe, and curl the edge of the outer over thelining which previously may have extended out substantially co-terminouswith the outer, laying it down against the member 30 into substantial orslightly beyond alinement with the edge portion of the lining. Thepresser also acts to attenuate the edge of the lining and top rim of theshoe. The pressure acts also to wedge the member 30 downwardly, thegooseneck 25 yielding somewhat, thus to increase the extent of relativesurface motion between the members 32 and 25, and enhancing th wipingeffect in opposite directions on the lining and outer. It is evidentfrom this figure that since the toggle joint 45 passes the line of pivotcenters of the opposite ends of the toggle links 44, the toggle willremain in the position shown in dotted lines until it is released by'anupward push on the rod. This means that until the toggle joint iscollapsed to its full line position, the presser elements 32 will beheld firmly clamping the upper margins against the side of the member30. toggle has been locked by a downward thrust of the treadle 62, thetreadle is then allowed to rise under the action of the spring 64, andthe table is turned further so as to bring the next successive block 50into the yoke 5|. The presser elements which have clamped the shoe upperagainst their member 30 remain in clamping position until the table hasbeen turned sufiiciently step by step to bring them nearly back to theirprevious position When the.

reaching this position, the toggle is released automatically byrotarymotion of the table 22, a suitable cam 10 being mounted in the path ofthe blocks 50 for this purpose and having an inclined surface up whichthe blocks ride as the table is turned. As shown, the cam may besupported by a suitable bracket H secured to the side of the standard20. Thus the several goosenecks with their respective apparatus forshaping shoes come into position befor the operator one after the otherready for the removal of a shaped shoe for replacement by a shoe to beshaped. For heating each member 30 it may be provided with a suitableelectric heating element '15 connected by wires 16 to insulated sliprings ll, these rings being mounted within the flange 24 so as to rotatewith the table 22.

TI, these brushes being connected through lead wires to any suitablesource of electric energy.

The shaping operation of the apparatus is illustrated in Figures 5 to 8.After the usual treeing operation on a shoe, the rim portionBO isordinarily curled outwardly to some extent by the Shrinking of thesideportions of the shoe outer tions inwardly with the shoe outward towardplanar alinement with the lining and straighten them as shown in thisfigure. As the member 30 is heated, the clamping of the rim portion ofthe shoe upperin the desired shape for a considerable period of timeresults in a relatively permanent set of the outer and lining in theposition shown, the heating of the member 30 also acting to shrink thelining 82 so that wrinkling of the lining is thus avoided. The member 30and the elements 32 are preferably a little longer than the opening ofthe shoe so that the rim portions of the uppers along the sides of theshOe opening are shaped substantially from one end of the opening to theother, the finished shoe presenting an appearance somewhat asillustrated in Figure 6. As therein shown, the rim portions of thesurfaces of the outer and lining is caused .to become inclined inwardlyat an angle thereto.

The presser elements 32 may, if desired, be provided with a cover ofrubber or similar soft and resilient material. A portion of this coveris normally stretched across the concaved face 33 of the presserelement. As the presser element .approaches the member 30, thisstretchof the cover first engages the shoe upper, as shown in Figure 10,holding the upper materials to-the member 30 below its upper facesufficiently to prevent any fullness of the lining being crowdeddownwardly into a wrinkle and remaining in the treated shoe and thenyields until it is pressed against the con- Suitable brushes 18 are inconstant contact respectively with the rings cave face 33, as shown inFigure 10, this produc ing a more pronounced wiping action of theseelements 32 on the shoe upper. Thus the pressure is exerted first alonga narrow zone below the upperedge of the shoe and the zone progressivelywidens upwardly to the top of the shoe and also widens downwardly. Thisis of particular utility where the shoe lining has any marked'fullnessas is usual in the case of a turn shoe.

I claim:

- 1. A method of shaping a shoe upper having its outer and liningsubstantially co-terminous, which comprises rolling the side portion ofthe top rim inwardly over the edg of the lining and heating the adjacentportions of the shoe lining while said rim portion is so held.

2. A method of shaping a shoe upper having its lining and outersubstantially co-terminous, which comprises applying supporting surfacesto the lining of the shoe adjacent to the'side por-' tions of the toprim of the shoe, turning said rim portions inwardly on said surfacesover and befaces Whilethe said rimportions are turned inwardly againstthem.

yond the edge of the lining, and heating said sur- .3. The step in thefinishing of a shoe, which comprises placing the shoe over a form andturnme the outer over and beyond the top edge of the lining and inwardlyagainst said form.

4. The steps in the finishing of a shoe, which comprises shrinking thelining adjacent to its upper edge, and turning said edge inwardly andthe upper edge of the outer which projects beyondthe lining over theedge of the lining.

5. The method of forming a shoe upper, which comprises placing the shoeovera heated form and so pressing the top rim of said shoe against saidform by pressure exerted on the outer face of the upper at said rim asto causev its upper edge to curl inwardly.

6. The method of shaping a shoe outer and lining which have been securedtogether and substantially co-terminous, which comprises thinningthe'lining margin and extending the outer therebeyond.

7. The step in shaping a shoe outer and lining which have been securedtogether and with their upper margins substantially co-terminous, whichcomprises compressing and thereby thinning the lining and extending theouter beyond the lining. 8. The step in the method of shaping a shoeouter and lining which have been secured together and substantiallyco-terminous, which comprises extending the margin of the yond themargin of the lining.

outer be- 9. The step in the method of shaping a shoe outer and liningwhich have been secured together, which comprises wiping the outerupwardly to extend the same beyond its previous position and over theedge of the lining.

10. The method which comprises pressing the top rim of a shoe outerbeyond and inwardly toward alinement with the lining while shrinking thelining.

11. The step in the method of shaping a shoe outer and lining which havebeen secured together, which comprises wiping the top edge of the outerupwardly relative to the lining.

MILTON L. DODGE.

